Bank compressing apparatus



Oct. 17, 1950 E. l.. MALI-no1' BANK .COMPRESSING APPARATUS 5Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April l5, 1947 MNE/V701? L. MAL/07 2 M Arran/frOct. 17, 1950 E. L. MALHIOT BANK coMPREssING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3Filed April l5, 1947 A TTOR/VFV Oct. 17, 1950 E. l.. MALI-QT BANK"COHPRESSING APPARATUS Filed April 15, 1947 5.- Sheets-Sheet 5 A TTORIV/lllllllllllll I4 Patented ct. i7,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,526,378 n BANK COMPRESSING APPARATUSEugene L. Malhiot, Maywood, Ill., assigner to Western Electric Company,Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New York ApplicationApril 15, 194i, serial No. 741,502

(Ci. 22a-'23s) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a compressing apparatus and more particularlyto an apparatus for simultaneously compressing a pair of step by stepbanks to permit the clamping bolts thereof to be tightened.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved apparatus forcompressing articles.

In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, there is provided abase plate on .which a compressing head is mounted for verticalreciprocatory movement with respect to a drawer, having a nest forsupporting a pair of banks side by side and slidable on the plate from aloading position, where the banks may be placedV in or removed from thedrawer, to an operative position where the banks are located in apredetermined position under the compressing head and under a pair ofpressure plates also mounted under the compressing head and connectedtogether by a pair of equalizing links. A iiuid actuator responsive tothe movement ofthe drawer to its operative position operates to move thecompressing head downwardly to carry aligning pins thereon to aligningposition with respect to the parts of the bank and thrust members on thecompressing head engage the equalizing links and vthrough them transmitan equal pressure to the pressure plates for compressing the banks. Thebanks in their compressed condition may then have their clampingboltstightened by tools applied through suitable apertures in theapparatus.

The invention may be more fully understood from the followingdescription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawingsillustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention wherein Fig. l isa side elevational view of the apparatus with parts broken away andparts shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic View of the fluid actuator of the apparatus andthe electrical control circuit for controlling the operation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view of the apparatus with a portion of thehousing broken away and with the loading drawer thereof shown in itsopen position; y

Fig. 4 is a plan sectional view of the apparatus taken on the line 4-4of Fig. 5 showing the drawer moved to its closed position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical sectional View taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan sectional view ofv a portion of theapparatus taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view 2 of a portion of theapparatus taken on the line 1 1 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged side elevational view of a portion of the loadingdrawer of the apparatus with parts shown in section;

Figs.,9 and l0 are detailed sectional views taken on the line 9 9 andIll-'ID of Fig. 8, respectively;

Fig. 1l is a plan view of the step by step bank of the type which may becompressed in the present apparatus; and

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the bank taken onthe line |2|2 of Fig. l1.

The apparatus herein disclosed is designed to compress step by stepbanks I5 by simultaneously applying a predetermined equal pressure to apair of banks which may vary slightly in height so that, while they areheld in a compressed state, the clamping bolts passing therethrough maybe tightened to retain the banks in their compressed condition. Thebanks l5 (Figs. l1 and 12), comprise a plurality of card units looselyclamped together in superposed relation between upper and lower clampingplates I8 and I9, respectively, andheld in assembled relation by aplurality of clamping bolts 2B. The hexagonal heads 2| of the bolts 20engage the upper clamping plate I8, the Shanks of the bolts 20 passthrough aligned apertures in the clamping plates and the card units, andthe threaded lower ends of the bolts threadedly engage the threadedapertures in the lower clamping plate I9. Apertures 25- 25 are formed inthe card units to facilitate the proper alignment thereof and apertures21-21 are provided in the projecting ends of the clamping plates I8 andI9, whereby the bank may be mounted on framework (not shown).

The compressing apparatus generally comprises a base plate 3| (Fig. 1)mounted in a suitable table or bench (not shown) and a compressing head32 reciprocably mounted on the base plate 3| and operatively connectedto a fluid actuator 35 operable under control of an electrical controlsystem. A drawer or tray 31, provided with a nest 38 to receive a pairof banks |5 sidev by side, is slidably mounted on the base plate 3| toposition the banks underneath the compressing head 32, having aplurality of aligning pins 39 and 40 (Figs. 5 and '7) extendingdownwardly therefrom and under a pair of pressure plates 42 and 43connected together by a pair of equalizing vlinks 44-44, through whichthe pressure of the compressing head is transmitted equally to thepressure plates for cempressing a pair of banks |5.

The compressing head 32 comprises an inverted channel member or crosshead 4b* secured to the upper ends of a pair of spaced, verticallyreciprocable rods iS-i8 mounted in guide members '5G-5t on the baseplate 3l. The rods 48-48 pass through the guide members 5D and the plate3| and are secured at their lower end to a channel-shaped cross head 52,from the lower central portion of which extends a lug 54. The cross head52 has upwardly extending lug portions 53- 53 engagea-.ble with the baseplate 3l to limit the upward movement of the heads 32 and 52. Theattened sides of a pin 5E rotatably mounted in the lug 5e engage in theslotted end of a lever 53, fulcrumed at 5@ to a bracket 60 mounted onthe underneath side of the table 3l. The other end of the lever 53 ispivotally connected to a piston rod 52 or the fluid actuator 35, whichis supported from the under side of the table 3| by a bracket 513.

The sliding drawer Si comprises a bottom wall 65 in the form of a flatplate having a central recess el and a pair of side portions E38 and 69.A block it, on the upper surface of which is formed the seat or nest 38,is secured to the bottom wall B6. Positioned on the block lt, in apredetermined location., are the apertured, tapered aligning pins ia-'ladapted to t into the apertures 21-2'i oi the lower clamping plate I Sto accurately position the banks E5 on the nest 3S. The block le isprovided with an irregular groove l2 (Fig. 3) and recesses le toaccommodate the embossments on the clamping plate lli and the ends ofthe clamping bolts 2li, respectively, of the banks l5. A front wall i5extends upwardly from the bottom wall SG and has a handle lli securedthereto, by means of which the drawer may be moved from one position toanother.

Rollers 'lil and (Figs. 3, 4, 8 and 9) rotatably carried by brackets Si)and el, which are yieldingly mounted on the side portions of the bottomwall et, support the drawer 3l for free rolling movement on the baseplate 3l. The brackets S6 and 8l are mounted for vertical movement onshouldered studs 83 secured to the bottom wall 66, and are urged intoengagement with the wall 6E by coil springs 85 mounted on the studs 83.The rollers le and 'i9 are rotatably mounted on pins 8S secured todepending lugs Si extending downwardly from brackets Se and SI. Theparts are so arranged that the rollers normally support the drawer 3?,with its bottom wall Se spaced from the base plate El to provide freeand easy rolling movement or" the drawer and to permit vertical movementof the drawer relative to the rollers into engagement with the baseplate 3| during the compressing of the banks I. The drawer 3l ispositioned between the rods i3-48 and underneath the compressing head 32and is guided for reciprocatory movement on the base plate 3| by aplurality of rollers Sil-90 engaging upwardly extending guide rails92-92 on the base plate 3l. The guide rails 92 are relieved at 93 toprovide clearance for the rollers 95 when the drawer 3l is in its closedposition (Fig. 4) so that the drawer, in this position, is ree to movelaterally, slightly, if necessary, when the aligning pins 39 and de onthe compressing head 32 engage the apertured pins I2 on the drawer. Astop member 94, engageable with the front wall 'I5 of the drawer, limitsits movement in the forward direction and a stop S5 on the base plate 3Iis adapted to be engaged by a member 98 ad- .iustably mounted in theblock le to limit the 4 movement of the drawer in the rearwarddirection.

A pair of banks I5 may be placed on the nest 38 when the drawer 3'! isin its open position, as indicated in Fig. 3, after which the drawer maybe moved to the closed position, as indicated in Fig. 4, to locate thebanks in a predetermined position underneath the pressure plates and insubstantial alignment with the aligning pins 39 and llt. The aligningpins 39 and are secured to the underneath side of the cross head i5 by aretaining plate 96 and a backing plate 9?. The aligning pins 40, withtheir tapered ends, are arranged to enter the apertures 25 in therelatively loosely assembled card units i? oi the banks le to properlyalign the card units. The lower ends of the aligning pins 3Q are formedwith cylindrical and tapered surfaces 99 and Sile, respectively, adaptedto engage in the aperture of the aligning pins I2 of the drawer 3'! tocoaxially align the aligning pins 39 and l2. The upper portions of thealigning pins 39 are formed with tapering portions Ill! and acylindrical portion which latter portions are adapted to iit into theapertures 2l in the upper clamping plates le oi the banks I5 to aid inthe proper alignment of the clamping plates I 8.

The pressure plates 42 and 43 are suitably apertured at me and H35,respectively (Figs. 5, 6 and 7), to provide clearance for the aligningpins 359 and fie, and are also provided with a series of apertures 36 toprovide clearance for the heads EI of the clamping bolts 2l) in the l5.Each of the pressure plates is mounted for vertical movement on threeguide rods its and is moved upwardly against its respective head ll'j onthe rods by coiled springs III. Extending upwardly on the pressureplates and intermediate their ends are lugs I It, in which pivot pinslle are secured. The pivot pins H5 engage in apertures in the ends ofthe pressure equalizing links iii and serve to pivotally connect thelinks to the pressure plates. Intermediate their ends, the links 44 arerecessed, as at Il?, to receive cylindrical pressure transmittingmembers I i8 mounted on the compressing head 32.

The parts are so arranged that, with a pair of banks properly positionedunderneath the compressing head, the aligning pins, as the compressinghead 32 rmoves downwardly, will properly align the individual card unitsand the clamping plates of the banks, after which the thrust members IISwill engagethe equalizing links lLl and move the pressure plates t2 andt3 downwardly to apply an equal predetermined pressure simultaneously toeach of the pair of banks thereunder. With the banks in this compressedcondition, a tool passed through aligned apertures I2@ in the cross head34, the retaining and backing plates Sie and 97, respectively, and theapertures Ii in the pressure plates may be applied t0 the heads 2l ofthe clamping bolts 2d to tighten them to a predetermined degree oftightness.

In order to prevent the iluid actuator from lowering the compressor head32 except when the drawer 37 is in its closed position so that the banksare properly located under the compressing head, a safety device isprovided comprising a movable segmental plate I 25 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4)positioned on the underneath side of the base plate 3l and mounted on apin I26 for rocking movement about a vertical axis. The plate V25 isinterposed between a rod |28 forming an extension of the piston 62 andan aperture i229 formed in the base plate 3|, through which aperture therod |28--is adapted to move during the operation of sition, the lever|32 is rotated through a predetermined arc and, in turn,.rotatesthesegmental plate |25 from a position (Fig. 3) blocking the movement ofthe rod |23 to a position (Fig. 4) not blocking the 'rod |23. Thus itwill be seen that the segmental plate |25 acts to prevent the movementof the actuator 35 when the drawer 31 is in the open position andpermits the operation of .the actuator and the compressor head 32 onlywhen the drawer has been moved to its inner or closed position,l atwhich time the banks are properly placed tobe acted on by thecompressinghead 32. f

The fluid actuator 35 comprises a piston |35 (Fig. 2) positivelyactuated in opposite directions Within a cylinder |35 by a fluidadmitted alternately to opposite ends thereof through a valve |31, whichis moved from one operating position to. another under controlof a pairof solenoids |38 and A|33 in an electrical controlI circuit. Thesolenoid |38 is connected to a lineV |4| of a pair of power supply linesUil and |32 and is connected to the line |42 through the normallyclosedswitch contacts |34 of a relay |46. The solenoid |39 is connected to theline |42 and, through normally open switch contacts |48 of the relay, isconnectible to the line 14|. The relay |46 is spring-returne-d to itsnormal operating position, indicated in Fig. 2, and may be actuated toits other operating position upon energization ofthe relay coil |56,which is connected. to the line |42, and is connectible, through anormally open microswitch |52 and a microswitch |54, to the line llii.When the apparatus is in its normal non-compressing condition, with thehead 32 up and with the drawer 31 open, a circuit is completed throughthe solenoid |38 and the closed contacts |34 to actuate the solenoidvalve |31 and hold it in a position where it causes the actuator 35 tomoveY and maintain thehead 32 in its raised position.

yThe microswitch |52 (Figs. 1, 3 and 4) is mounted on the upper side ofthebase plate 3| in the path of movement of the end of the drawer 31 andis adapted to be engaged and closed by a member |56 adjustably mountedon the end portion of the bottom wall 66 thereof when the drawer ismoved to its rearmost or fully closed position, as indicated in Fig. 4.When the microswitch |52 is closed, the circuit-to the relay coil |56 iscompleted, causing the energization thereof and the actuation of therelay |36 to its operated position. This causes the deenergization ofsolenoid |38 and the energization of the solenoid |39 to effect the'movement of the control valve |31 to its other position, resulting inthe upward movement of Vthe piston |35. The rod |28, moving upwardlywith the piston |35, actuatesthe microswitch |54 in its path to causethe switch lever |58 to disengage the contact |59 and engage the contact|60. The contact |60 is connected in series with switch contacts |62 ofthe relay |36 and serves to Ycomplete a holding circuit through switchcontacts |62 for locking the relay |46 in operated position.

VWhenthecompressor head 32 is moved down-L wardly by the upward movementof the piston.

|35, the tapered ends of the aligning pins 39 and 40 carried therebyenter the apertures 25 in the card units I1 on the banks l5 and cause aslight forward movement of the drawer 31 as the banks l5 are properlyraligned by the aligning pins.-

This slight forward movement of the drawer 31 opens the microswitch |52.The actuator 35 -causes the compressor head 32 to apply a predetermined"pressure to the banks, which con-- tinues `until the tighteningoperation is completed, after which themovement of the Yactuator 35 andthe compressor head 3 2 may be reversed by the opening of a switch |66connected in the line |42. The opening of the switch |66 breaks thecircuit to the coil |56 and causes the return to normal of the relay |46which, in turn, causes the reversal of the valve |31 and the consequentmovement` of rthe piston |35 to the position shown in Fig.,2.

A plunger |68 (Fig. 4), mounted on base 3| for reciprocable movement ina housing |63 and urged forwardly by a springl |13, is provided toengage the end of the bottom -wall 56 of the drawer 31 when'the draweris in its closed position and apply pressure to the drawer, tending tomove it to open position so that, on completion ofthe return strokeofthe compressor head 32,

and as soonl as the aligning pinsare withdrawn froml the banks i5, thedrawer 31 is moved forwardly a short distance. This short forwardmovement Aof thedrawer further separates the microswitch operatingmember |56 from the microswitch |52 and thereby eliminates thepossibility of accidental reactuation of the switch |52.

A protective housing is provided tosubstantially enclose the entireapparatus above the plate 3|' and comprises a stationary housing |15(Figs. 1,` 3, 4, y5, 6 'and 7) having side walls |16-,|16, a'top wall|11, transverse wall portions |16 and |19, and front wall portions |83and IBI, which latter are spaced apart to provide an opening sufficientto receive the front wall 15 ofthe drawer 31. The movable portion |82 isrectangular in shape and comprises vertical end walls IBB- |63 and frontand rear walls |36 and |35, respectively, joined to a top wall |83 andarranged in telescoping relation with portions ofthe stationaryl 3; withthe channel of the cross head i5 to permit access to the apertures inthe various members through which the tightening tools may be insertedVduring the operation of tightening the clamping bolts 26 in the banksI5. It will thus beseen that when the drawer is closed, the upperportion of the apparatus above the base plate 3| is entirely enclosed bythe housing |15 and the wall 15 of the drawer 31, except for the opening|88, through which the bolt tightening tools may be applied to the bolts26 of the banks being compressed. f

In the operation of the compressing apparatus, with the drawer 31 in itsopen position, a pair of banks are placed on the nest 38 thereof withthe aligning pins 12-12 fitting intol the apertures 21 of the lowerclamping plate I9 of the banks |5. .The operator then pushes the drawerrearwardly to a closed position until the member 98. engages th-e stop96 to stop the drawer in its are located under the pressure plates 42and 43, compressing head 32 and with the apertures 25 thereof insubstantial alignment with the aligning pins 39 and 4B. During therearward movement of the drawer, the safety plate 125 is rotated in acounter-clockwise direction from a position in the path of movement ofthe rod |28 of the actuator 35 to the position shown in FigA, where therod 128 is free to move upwardly. When the drawer 31 is moved toitsclosed position, the member |56 on the rear portion thereof engages andcloses the microswitch 152 and completes the circuit to energize therelay |46 and cause the energization of the solenoid |39 to shift thevalve |31 and effect the actuation of the actuator 35 and the downwardmovement of the compressor head 32. As the piston |35 of the actuator 35moves upwardly, the rod 128 thereon engages the microswitch 154 andmoves the switch lever |53 from engagement with the contact |59 intoengagement with the contact |68, which completes a holding circuit forthe coil |59 through the holding contacts |452. As the compressing head32 moves downwardly, the aligning pins 39 and 43 carried thereby enter,respectively, the apertures 21 and 25 in the upper clamping plate andthe card units of the banks and serve to align the parts of the bankrelative to each other. This aligning of the parts of the banks caus-esthe drawer 31 to be moved forwardly a slight distance on the order ofwhich allows the microswitch |52 to be moved from its closed to its.normally open position. As the compressing head 32 continues itsdownward movement, the thrust members ||8 carried thereby engage in thenotches ||1 of the equalizing links 44 and transmit the downwardpressure of the head 23 through the links 44 to the pressure plates 42and 43. The pressure plates 42 and 43 are thus moved downwardly intoengagement with the pair of lbanks and apply a pr-edetermined equalpressure thereto.

The bottom wall S5 of the drawer 31, which is normally supportediorsliding movement on the plate 31 in spaced relation thereto, is movedinto contact with the base plate 31, which serves as a backing member toreceive the thrust of the pressure plates 42 and 44 and the head 32during the compression of the banks. While the banks are thus undercompression, and with the predetermined pressure being steadily appliedthereto by the actuator 35, the operator may insert a tool through thealigned apertures in the compressing head and pressure plates to engagethe heads 2| of the clamping bolts 2B and tighten them with apredetermined torque. After the clamping bolts in each of the banks 15have been tightened, the operator may press the button |68 to open theswitch |56 in the line 142, deenergizing the coil |50 and allowing therelay |45 to be returned to its normal position. This will eiiect thereversal of the valve |31 and the actuator 35, causing the piston |35and the compressing head 32 to return to their normal positions. On theupward mov-ement of the head 32, the pressure plates 42 and 43 functionas stripper members to strip the banks from the aligning pins 39 and 40.As the aligning pins 39 and 4B are withdrawn from' the banks 15, theplunger |58, under the force of the spring |10, acts to move the drawer31 forward a short distance so as to increase the distance between themember |55 and the microswitch |52 and thus avoid the possibility of anaccidental or unintentional reclosing of the mi- V`closwitch |52 and theinitiation of another compressing cycle of operation. The drawer 31 maythen be moved forwardly to its open position and the tightened banksremoved therefrom.4

What is claimed is:

l. An apparatus for compressing a composite article comprising asupporting base member, an apertured movable head for compressing saidarticle against said base plate, a pair of rods secured to said head andextending downwardly therefrom, apertured guide members on said baseplate through which said rods extend and are guided for verticalreciprocation, a cross head secured to the lower end of said rodsunderneath said base plate, means operatively connected to said crosshead for actuating said compressing head, a drawer slidabl-e on saidbase plate and having a bottom wall engageable therewith, a seat on saidbottom wall for receiving an article thereon in predetermined position,means on said base plate for guiding said drawer for movement between anopen position where an article may be applied to or removed from thedrawer and a closed position where the article in the drawer is locatedin alignment with said head, an apertured housing secured to and movablewith said head and having vertical wall portions surrounding said head,a stationary housing on said base plate enclosing portions of saidapparatus and having vertical wall portions telescopingly engaging saidmovable housing and provided with an opening in one vertical wall toaccommodate the draw-er, a vertical wall portion on said drawer adaptedto close said opening in said vertical wall of the stationary housingwhen said drawer is closed whereby said apparatus above the base plateis entirely enclosed during the compressing operation except for theaperture in said movable housing through which ap-erture and theaperture in said compressing head a portion of said article isaccessible for further processing while under compression.

A2. An apparatus for compressing a composite article comprising asupporting base plate, an apertured compressing head for compressingsaid article against said base plate, a pair of rods secured to saidhead and extending downwardly therefrom, guideways in said base platethrough which said rods extend and are guided for Verticalreciprocation, means including a iiuid actuator operatively connected tothe lower ends of said rods for actuating said compressing head, adrawer slidable on said base plate and having a bottom wall engageabletherewith, a seat on said bottom wall for supporting an article inpredetermined position thereon, means on said base plate for guidingsaid drawer for movement between an open position where an article maybe applied to or removed from the drawer and a closed position where thearticle in the drawer is located in alignment with said head, a,stationary housing on said base plate enclosing portions of saidapparatus and having vertical wall portions disposed to partiallyencircle the compressing head and provided with an opening in one wallthereof to accommodate the drawer, a member extending from said head andhaving portions telescopingly engaging the vertical walls of thestationary housing, a Vertical wall portion on said drawer adapted toclose said opening in the vertical wall of the stationary housing whenthe drawer is closed whereby said apparatus above the base plate isentirely enclosed during the compressing operation except for a portionof said compressing head through the aperture in which a portion of thearticle is accessible for further processing while under compression,and control means operable in response to the moving of the drawer toits closed position to4 cause the actuation -of"saidactuator toeiect thecompressing movement oisaidpompressing head.

3. An apparatus for compressipg a pair of composite laminatedarticlescomprisingV a base member, a head for compressing said articlesagainst said base member, power means for actuating said head, means forsupporting apairfof articles side by side on said base ymember in apredetermined position underneath said compressing head, a pair ofpressure plates. engage-eable with said article-s, means on said baisemeinber for mounting said pressure plates independently of each otherbetween said head and said base and for guiding said pressure plates'for movement independently of each other toward and away from said basemember, spring means yieldably supporting said pressure plates and formoving said pressure plates individually away from said base member, anda pair of pressure equalizing members pivotally attached at their endsto said pressure plates intermediate the ends of said plates and adaptedto be pivotally engaged by said compressing head midway between the endsthereof whereby force transmitted by said head to said equalizingmembers will be distributed to the pressure plates for com-- pressingeach of said articles with equal pressure.

4. An apparatus for compressing a pair of composite laminated articlescomprising a base member, a movable head for compressing said articlesagainst the base member, means for reciprocating said head, a trayengageable with the base member and having a nest thereon for supportinga pair of said articles side by side in a predetermined positionthereon, means on said base for guiding said tray for movement thereonbetween a loading position where the articles may be applied to orremoved from the tray and ,4

an operative position where the articles are in alignment with saidhead, a pair of pressure plates individually engageable with saidarticles and actuatable by said head to transmit a predeterminedpressure to said articles, and members pivotally connected at their endsto each of said pressure plates and intermediate their ends pivotallyengageable with said head during the compression of said articleswhereby said pressure plates are movable relative to each other toaccommodate a pair of articles of different heights and are arranged toapply simultaneously equal pressures thereto.

5. An apparatus for compressing a pair of composite laminated articleshaving apertures therein comprising a supporting member to support saidarticles for compression, a movable head for compressing said articlesagainst said supporting member, means for reciprocating said headrelative to said supporting member, means for locating said articlesside by side in a predetermined position on said supporting member inalignment with said supporting head, aligning members on said head andmovable therewith into the aperture of said articles to align thecomponent parts thereof, a pair ci pressure plates underneath and inspaced relation to said head and said supporting member and e-ngageablewith said articles positioned on said supporting member, means guidingsaid presure plates for movement individually toward and away from saidsupporting member, spring means for moving said pressure platesindividually away from said supporting member, means for limiting theextent of movement of said pressure plates away from said supportingmember, a plurality -of pressure equalizing members pivotally attachedat their ends to4 said pressure plates, and thrust members mounted onsaid head and engageable with said 4equalizing `members intermediatetheir ends,"said pressure plates being arranged relative to'said head sothat on the down strokeof'said headthe aligning members .6..An.apparatus fory compressing a pair of K composite laminated articlesleach having'aligning apertures in the component parts thereofcomprising a base member, a movable head for compressing said articlesagainst the base member, means for reciprocating said head relative tothe base member, a tray engageable with the base member, means on saidtray for supporting said articles side by side in a predeterminedposition thereon, means on said base member for guiding said tray forsliding movement thereon between a loading position where the articlesmay be applied to the tray and an operative position where the articlesare in substantial alignment with said head, aligning members on saidhead and movable therewith into engagement with the aligning aperturesin said articles to align the component parts of said articles, a pairof pressure plates engageable individually with said articles, means onsaid base member for individually mounting said pressure plates betweensaid head and said base member and for guiding said pressure plates formovement toward and away from said base member, spring means foryieldably supporting said pressure plates and for moving said pressureplates away from said base member, means for limiting the movement ofsaid pressure plates away from said base member, a plurality of pressureequalizing members pivotally connected at their ends to said pressureplates and pivotally engageable intermediate their ends with said headduring the compressing of the articles whereby said pressure plates maymove vertically relative to each other to accommodate articles ofdiiierent heights and whereby the pressure equalizing members serve totransmit the pressure from the head simultaneously and equally to eachof said pressure plates.

'7. An apparatus for compressing a pair of cornposite laminated articleshaving aligning apertures therein comprising a base member, a pair ofapertured pressure plates, members on said base for guiding saidpressure plates for movement toward and away from said base, springmeans yieldably supporting said pressure plates and for moving saidplates away from said base, means for limiting the movement of saidplates away from said base, pressure equalizing means comprising amember pivotally connected at its ends to the pressure platesintermediate the ends of said pressure plates, a tray having seats forsupporting a pair of said articles side by side, means guiding said trayfor movement on said base from a loading position where said articlesmay be loaded onto and unloaded from said tray to an operative positionunder said pressure plates, a cross head mounted for movement toward andaway from said base, actuating means for reciprocating said cross head,means l on said cross head engageable with said pressure equalizingmember intermediate its ends for applying predetermined pressure to saidpressure equalizing member and said pressure plates, and aligning pinson said cross head movable into engagement With the aligning aperturesin said articles to align the component parts thereof during themovement of said cross head toward said base, said pressure platesserving as stripping members to strip the articles from said aligningmember during the movement of said cross head from said base.

EUGENE L. MALHIOT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

Number l2 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Weber Jan. 29, 1901 Thul May3, 1904 Wilson July 18, 1905 Menne Apr. 10, 1928 Langford May 14, 1929Burr July 26, 1932 Hilliard Feb. 21, 1933 Garbe Nov. 24, 1942 MalhiotJune 13, 1944 Tyler Nov. 5, 1946 Johndrew Dec. 14, 1948

